10 Of The Most Adorable Photos Of Pregnant Animals

Pregnancy is a special time for many women. It's filled with magical moments. Creating new life. Watching your body grow. Hearing a heartbeat. Seeing the first scan. Preparing to welcome a baby. Wondering what they’ll look like when they're born. Or what they'll be like when they grow up. It is said that a woman has a certain glow when she is pregnant. And many expectant moms want the memories to last forever. So, they book maternity shoots and show off the photos for years to come.

If you think some people look perfect when they’re pregnant, wait until you see moms from the animal kingdom before they’re about to pop. They’re just precious. Pictolic has compiled a list of unique maternity pics that might just melt your heart. Keep scrolling for a glimpse of bulging bellies and a deep dive into how pregnancies differ from species to species.

10 PHOTOS

#1 Tiny Stray, Very Pregnant. This Girl Came Up To My Son In The Street Distressed Yesterday. She Is Maybe 1 Year Old Per Vet

X-ray showed at least 6 babies in her belly and she's due to give birth within the next week. She's safe now at our home.

#2 Pregnant Doggo Waits By The Window For Her Husband To Return Home From The War

#3 Maternity Shoot For My Pregnant Foster Dog

If you think nine months is a long time to be pregnant, spare a thought for the elephant mamas out there. They carry their offspring for almost two years before giving birth. The huge animals have the longest pregnancies of all mammals. But the 22-month gestation period is not just because of their size. Baby Ellies need to stay in the womb that long for their incredible brains to develop properly.

#4 Pregnant Zebra Alert

#5 My Name Is Somboon. You’ll All Know Me As The Pregnant Elephant That, With Sri Nuan Marched The "Walk To Freedom In May 2019"

#6 I'm Fostering A Very Pregnant Cat. There Are Five Kittens In There

Elephants are smart. Some would argue they’re even smarter than a few humans (read: poachers). Their brains have three times as many neurons as humans. And the babies are born bright. Like really, really bright. Think about human babies for a minute. What can they do? Not much at all. For quite a while. They need help feeding, dressing, bathing, moving around, even burping. An elephant on the other hand is born ready. It’s able to keep up with the herd from the minute it's born. Scientists say this is all thanks to the extended time in mom’s womb.

#7 That Mumma Is Ready To Pop

#8 So The Male Carries The Baby In The Sea Horse World

#9 Poor Rosemary Is Still Pregnant. She Can't Walk Very Far Anymore But She Is Still Very Active And Babies Are Still Feeling Very Lively. I Don't Think I Can Watch Her Get Any Bigger Than This

Fairly recent research has found that mother elephants don’t miss a beat while pregnant. Or even shortly after. Rest? Ain't no mommy got time for that. Researchers from Oxford University worked with Save The Elephants to take a closer look at pregnancy and birth among African elephants. They put GPS trackers on the giants and were amazed by what they found.

#10 8.5-Week Pregnant Mamma Cat Checking Out What’s Going On Outside